Ethan was feeling fresh and energetic. Even he could not explain what was happening to his body. He had not slept at all and had not even eaten anything since breakfast yesterday.

  “This is so good,” muttered Ethan. He wondered why he never worked out seriously before.

  Still, he knew better than to let his family suspect something strange. Ethan stopped working and got up. He stretched a little before going to the kitchen.

  As always, his parents always followed their usual daily routines. His father was flipping through the newspaper while drinking coffee, and his mother was preparing breakfast.

  'Well, this would not be long,' he thought. He had planned for his parents to quit their jobs after they moved in.

  They both looked up as Ethan entered, their eyes lingering on him a moment longer than usual.

  “Good morning,” Elise said warmly, though there was a trace of curiosity in her tone. “Everything okay?”

  Ethan smiled. He knew they must be dead worried with him suddenly locked in his room the whole day.

  “All good, Mom,” he said. He pulled out a chair and slid into it. “I just needed some extra time yesterday to finish up a few projects.”

  His father lowered the newspaper, his brow furrowed slightly. “You’re working too hard, son. You’ve been holed up in that room for the whole. What’s going on?”

  Ethan paused, choosing his words carefully. He’d been expecting this question, after all. “Well,” he began, leaning back slightly as though to distance himself from the weight of his explanation, “I’ve been getting more work lately—connections from the university and some online platforms. It’s keeping me busy, but it’s all good stuff.”

  "Is that so?" However, Elise once again felt that something had changed. “Ethan... I can't help but feel like you've changed a lot," she said.

  It did not stop at the question; her eyes, too, were doing their work. She scanned her eldest son, trying to figure out what had changed.

  Ethan chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s nothing, Mom. Just a bit of growth, I guess. And maybe a little too much sitting at my desk.” He glanced down at himself, inwardly relieved.

  The changes from the system had been dramatic, but they seemed to settle into a more natural appearance now. Ethan wasn’t overly bulky or intimidating—thankfully, the system seemed to value a practical physique rather than a cartoonish one.

  What amused Ethan the most was that, despite the boost to his Intelligence, his head hadn’t grown disproportionately large. ‘At least I don’t look like one of those caricatures of a genius,’ he thought, suppressing a grin.

  Aaron leaned forward, his gaze steady. “What kind of projects are we talking about?”

  Ethan decided it was time to weave a believable story. He straightened up and met his father’s eyes. “Honestly… I hadn’t seen results before because my portfolio wasn’t polished enough. I’ve been going through some online courses—learning how to market my skills properly. And it’s paid off. I’ve landed some solid projects.”

  Elise’s expression softened, though her curiosity lingered. “What kind of work? Is it still related to your course?”

  “Yes,” Ethan said with a nod, warming to the story. “Some are freelance projects, but the pay is solid. Others are bigger contracts from referrals through the university. I’ve even started thinking long-term—registered my own company and everything.”

  At this, both Aaron and Elise blinked in disbelief. “You what?” Elise asked, her voice a mix of shock and amazement.

  “Registered a company,” Ethan repeated, allowing himself a small, humble smile. “I believed that was the most logical step since I'm dealing with projects and contracts worth five figures."

  Aaron's expression was unreadable. As a man and a father, he would take his time to process everything. It was not that he wanted to control his son's life. He had experience with this kind of thing before their lives took a dip.

  “Still, that’s… too much for us to take in. Even for you,” he said finally. “Five figures? Are you sure this isn’t too much all at once?”

  Ethan smiled. His face was calm. “Trust me, Dad. Everything is under control. Besides, I'm taking things one step at a time, and I know my limit."

  He paused before adding, "Besides, I believe that this was the perfect moment to build something. A business, and of course, to do that, I need to get my business registered properly."

  Both his parents nodded. They understood well what Ethan meant.

  Ethan took a deep breath. He needed to convince his parents just a little bit more. He believed in the thing called blessing. But, if they did not buy his story, he would just do as he wished.

  He then said, “You know that I've always been good with this programming stuff. So, this might be the right time for me to make a living out of it."

  Ethan did not expect a reaction from his parents. His mother placed a hand on his and said, "Yes. Your father and I know that, Ethan."

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Aaron then said, "Go on, son. Do what you believe is the best for you. Your life is yours to decide. But..." He paused, his voice tinged with emotion, "If you feel things are too much for you, remember that we're always here... for you."

  Ethan’s smile softened. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad.”

  The words hung in the air, light but firm. Ethan’s parents exchanged a glance, their initial shock slowly giving way to cautious pride. Whatever Ethan was doing, he clearly believed in it. For now, that was enough.

  After a few more exchanges, the conversation drifted to lighter topics. By the time breakfast ended, Ethan stood and stretched, excusing himself to his room. He had more things to do, and the excitement of what lay ahead fueled him like never before.

  Ethan returned to his room, the quiet space offering a perfect moment to reflect and plan. He sat at his desk and opened the system interface, navigating to the Skill Panel. The familiar translucent blue display flickered to life in front of him.

  But still, the panel was empty. No skills unlocked.

  He let out a deep sigh. 'Maybe I need to hit Level 5 first,' he thought. It made sense—the system had been rewarding progress incrementally, and a higher level might be the key to accessing skills.

  The thought of unlocking skills intrigued him, but he couldn’t shake the question of whether they required Ascension Points. With 20 Ascension Points in hand, Ethan knew he needed to spend them wisely. Missions were the only way to earn more, and each point was a resource he couldn’t afford to squander.

  “Better wait until I know for sure,” he murmured, closing the Skill Panel for now.

  Ethan was showered and ready for the day by 8:30 in the morning. The fresh air from his slightly open window gave him a boost of energy. However, he still couldn't decide what to do first.

  There were things in motion—tasks he had set into motion—but nothing immediate. He was waiting on updates from Jordan regarding the office space and from Claire about the house. The anticipation of both filled him with a restless excitement.

  As if on cue, his phone vibrated on his desk. Ethan reached for it, his heart leaping a little at the prospect of news. It was a text from Jordan.

  Jordan: [Hey, boss, I’ve found a few perfect places for the office. Check these out.]

  The message was followed by a series of images and detailed descriptions of potential office spaces.

  Ethan clicked through them, each one boasting modern designs, prime locations, and ample amenities. They were impressive, no doubt, but something was missing.

  Ethan replied.

  Ethan: [Have you looked at the towers? Maybe they have a whole floor available?]

  His phone vibrated right away, but this time, it wasn’t a text message. It was a call from Jordan.

  Ethan answered, smiling. “Didn't get my message?”

  “What message? That was more like messing!” Jordan could not hide his confusion. “Did you just say a whole floor? You mean like… the entire thing?”

  “I'm not messing, and yeah, the whole floor. If there is any available,” Ethan said. His tone made it sound like his request was something natural and simple to be done.

  Jordan was speechless on the other end of the line. “Man, stop kidding, please? A whole floor… That’s crazy. Do we have the money?”

  Ethan chuckled. “Who's kidding? It’s not about thinking big for the sake of it or… money. We’re going to need the room. Developers, operations, marketing—this isn’t just some side project. We’re building something real here.”

  Jordan was silent for a moment, then his voice came through, steadier now. “Alright. I’ll look into it. I’ll see if any of the towers have a floor available and get back to you.”

  “Perfect,” Ethan said. “Thanks, Jordan. Let me know what you find.”

  “You got it, boss,” Jordan replied with a grin in his voice. “Talk soon.”

  As the call ended, Ethan leaned back, thinking about hitting the gym just to test out his upgraded physique. “That sounds good, too.”

  Ethan decided it was time to test his limits and get a clear sense of where he stood physically after all the recent changes.

  There was no point in letting overconfidence creep in, no matter how much stronger or faster he felt. He believed that it was a good idea to know his limits rather than blindly believing he was some kind of superhuman.

  Luckily, he had the sports attire given by his university. It was baggy before. You know how these people handed out attires that were not to the students' sizes.

  But now, it felt tight, or the better word is right. Ethan grabbed his bag, the one used during his high school days for football practice, and walked to the front door.

  He could hear his younger siblings in the living room. He paused his track and glanced at them. It clearly seemed that their boredom was almost tangible.

  Jacob, with the remote control in his hand, was changing channels every two seconds. While Lily was lying on the couch. She rested her head on the armrest, and you can guess what she did. Staring blankly at the ceiling.

  Seeing them, Ethan could not help but chuckle. Besides, he had something for them, too. “You two look like statues in a museum,” he teased.

  Jacob groaned, still flipping through the same limited options. “There’s nothing to watch. Free channels are just endless reruns or boring talk shows.”

  Lily sighed dramatically. “It’s school holidays, and I feel more bored than when we had classes. At least then we had something to do.”

  Ethan smirked at their complaints and leaned against the doorframe. “What if I got you both some paid channels?”

  Both siblings jolted upright, their expressions instantly lighting up with hope. “Are you serious?!” Jacob asked, his voice a mix of excitement and disbelief.

  “Or are you just teasing us?” Lily added, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

  Ethan took out his phone, smiling as he handed it to Jacob. “Download the streaming apps from the store on the TV. Let’s see how serious I am.”

  Jacob practically scrambled to follow his instructions, fumbling a bit in his excitement. Even though they weren’t wealthy, like most families in this world, they owned a smart TV capable of streaming. In a few moments, the apps were downloaded and ready to go.

  Ethan selected the best subscription plans for each service. He scanned the QR codes for payment, and just like that, their TV had access to a treasure trove of shows, movies, and entertainment.

  The moment everything was set up, Jacob and Lily erupted into shouts of joy. They dove onto the couch, flipping through the endless list of options, their excitement palpable.

  “You’re the best, Ethan!” Jacob shouted.

  “Thank you so much, big brother!” Lily cried, throwing her arms around Ethan in a tight hug.

  Ethan laughed as both siblings hugged him, their gratitude warm and genuine. It filled him with a deep sense of satisfaction—seeing their happiness made him feel like he was finally able to give his family the life they deserved.

  Ethan believed it was not a harm in spoiling his younger siblings a little. They deserved to enjoy such a thing when he could afford it.

  He ruffled Jacob’s and Lily's hair playfully. He was beaming with a smile. “Alright, you two enjoy. Don’t forget to share the TV, though. No fighting.”

  “We won’t!” they said in unison, their attention already glued to the screen.

  Ethan smiled, watching them for a moment longer before heading out.

  He took a step outside and said, “Alright. Time to see what I’m really capable of.”